


So Take My Hand and Don't Fear What You Find

by rainbowflavouredfabulous



Category: Victoria (TV)
Genre: Aged Down Lord Melbourne, Aged Up Victoria, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - Fake Marriage, Alternate Universe - Fake/Pretend Relationship, Alternate Universe - Modern Royalty, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Bedgebury Forest, British Newspapers - Freeform, British Politics, F/M, Happy Ending, Marriage Proposal, Moving In Together, Not Abandoned, Not abandoned I’m just busy with university, Partial sick fic, Queen Victoria POV, The author is actually capable of writing non-angsty things believe it or not, i’m just a ridiculously slow writer, literally one of my fave places to be, or at least the author attempts to write Victoria's POV for the main part of this
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-12-11
Updated: 2017-10-08
Packaged: 2018-09-07 21:49:25
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 17,066
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8817472
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rainbowflavouredfabulous/pseuds/rainbowflavouredfabulous
Summary: In which Victoria comes to the throne in 2016, there's a law requiring her to marry or abdicate, Lord Melbourne will do anything for this country and unfortunately, this is not like the Princess Diaries sequel whereby constitutional amendments can be made at a wedding.Now with an immersive Instagram account - follow victoriaandwilliam on Instagram for more content!





	1. BBC News: King George VII has died, presumably succeeded by his niece Princess Victoria

**Author's Note:**

  * For [cortexinthevortex](https://archiveofourown.org/users/cortexinthevortex/gifts).



> It's finally here, my magnum opus. This has been a long time coming and I hope people enjoy it
> 
>  **Theme song for this chapter:** [New String by Bantum](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=SJ9al4ZjxJ8)
> 
>  **Translations:** (bc in this universe Victoria speaks German and so do I so why not throw it in)  
>  _Mein kleines Mädchen_ : my small/young girl  
>  _Königin_ : queen  
>  _Quatsch_ : rubbish
> 
> As per usual, thanks to my beta Soph and shoutout to Jasmine who was my cheerleader from the very start

[](http://tinypic.com?ref=169orv8)

Victoria was woken up, quite abruptly, by her former governess pushing at her shoulder.

"Toria. Toria, wake up," Lehzen implored.

"Five more minutes, Lehzen," Victoria attempted to bargain, wrapping herself further in her duvet.

She heard Lehzen sigh gently. "Your Highness,” she pauses, “this is far more important than five minutes of sleep."

Victoria resigned herself to the fact that Lehzen, in fact, wouldn't leave her alone. She rolled over to face her governess, shoving her hand under her pillow to find her phone and prove that Lehzen had woken her up at ridiculous o'clock. Alas, she could not; it was already half past eight. The news notifications flashed on screen, capturing her attention. The most recent one stood out most.

_BBC News: King George VII has died, presumably succeeded by his niece Princess Victoria_

Victoria looked up towards Lehzen, who curtsied deeply. "Your Majesty," she proclaimed to the new Queen, still in her pyjamas. "The Lord Chamberlains are already here, there is no time to change." Unable to protest and in a great state of shock, Lehzen helped her out of bed and quietly fussed over the state of Victoria's hair and general look. Dash, a solid comfort to the young adult and her canine companion, followed the two out of Victoria's room and bounded down the stairs with Victoria. She left Lehzen at her door, brown hair fluttering behind her.

Although Victoria did not live in an official Royal residence, there were plenty of paintings of her ancestors. As she descended down the staircase, she saw her great-great-grandmother, Queen Alexanderina, watch her disapprovingly. On the opposite side, her father looked at her regally. She could almost feel a sense of stoic pride radiating from his portrait, as if he were there. She paused in front of the painting of her father. Mama said it was his favourite and Victoria looked to him for courage.

"I will do my best, Papa," she whispered before turning around and moving on, continuing down the stairs. The Lord Chamberlains stood waiting for her in a side room, anticipating the arrival of their new monarch. She stood before them in her sleepwear and they both went on one knee and kissed her hand.

"It is my sad duty to inform you that the King breathed his last at twelve minutes past two," one said to her. Victoria thought of her uncle, a man who reserved kind smiles for those he loved but also one who reserved razor sharp wit for those who displeased him.

"My poor, dear Uncle. May God have mercy on his soul."

Dash, however, was not going to let death or social conventions allow anyone to ignore him. He barked to command his owner's attention and the petite Queen picked up her beloved Cavalier King Charles spaniel. The Lord Chamberlains shared a sideways glance.

"Your Majesty," they both backed out of the room slowly, wary of being seen to be disrespectful to the new Queen. Said Queen put down her dog and ran back to her room, calling for Dash to follow her. 

 

* * *

 

Lehzen had just helped Victoria into her mourning clothes when there was a sudden knock at the door. Victoire entered with a man following at her side, both of them also dressed for mourning.

"Victoria, this is your Prime Minister, Sir John Conroy," Victoire introduced.

"Mama! A monarch is to meet their Prime Minister alone!" Victoria seethed. It was not yet noon and already she was enraged by her mother. Conroy bowed briefly before talking, either ignoring or ignorant of the little Queen’s mighty rage.

"The Duchess and I have known each other for years, your Majesty. We thought it best that perhaps we meet as associates." Already, only hours after the death of her brother-in-law, Victoire was exerting control over her young daughter!

"It brings me great sadness to hear of your uncle's death. I found him most agreeable to work with," Conroy simpered, in a patronising tone, as if she was still a little girl. "Now, we must talk about a urgent issue, your Majes-"

"Surely I must meet with the Privy Council?" Victoria cut off Conroy with a hand to stop him talking. He looked towards Victoire and opened and closed his mouth before speaking.

"Yes, but this is also important."

Victoria wasn't going to be ruled by anyone, especially not this jumped up politician.

"I will meet with the Privy Council first and then we will discuss this matter. Meet me in the sitting room afterwards." Although not a direct command to leave, even Conroy could comprehend such a veiled instruction and he shuffled respectfully out of the room, in a manner resonant of the Lord Chamberlains. The footmen closed the door behind him.

"Toria, how dare you be so rude and rash towards Conroy! He is a useful ally and my friend," Victoire admonished her daughter, her German accent slipping out further whilst rebuking her daughter.

"He might be your friend Mama, but he will never be mine. I must attend to the Privy Council now." The Queen left the room, leaving her mother behind and Lehzen kept up with her.

"Perhaps I could act as chaperone?" Lehzen's voice soothed Victoria and she stopped in the corridor, taking her former governess' hands in hers.

"Dearest Lehzen, I wish you could be there. But I fear the Council won't approve of a Queen with her governess behind her," Victoria looked towards the doors where the Privy Council hid behind, prowling back and forth in anticipation for her arrival. Her eyes flitted down and Lehzen noticed her soft trembling. "Could you wait for me in the sitting room? I don't think I'll be able to bear being in a room alone with that awful man."

Sometimes Lehzen forgot that her charge was only four years into adulthood and it wasn't so long ago that she brushed Victoria's hair and dried her tears when Victoire didn't. She squeezed Victoria's hands and she looked up. "Of course, your Majesty."

Victoria let go of Lehzen's hands reluctantly and interlaced her fingers to stop the shaking and to stop her fiddling with the silky blue sash she wore. She approached the door and knocked twice, indicating to the footman that she was ready and waiting. Before the doors opened to a terrifying new world, Victoria looked behind her to see Lehzen's approving and motherly smile, alleviating the butterflies in her stomach to a small extent.

The footmen opened the doors and she had to root her heels into the floor before her traitorous feet carried her away. Victoria watched as the Council quietened down and she forced herself to walk at a calm pace, desperately wishing that Dash was trotting around her heels to make her feel less alone. They had placed a platform for her and even upon that, she was still remarkably short compared to the gaggle of old, greying men until they bowed. She held her hands together tightly, hopefully that she would look regal but also so that she would not fidget.

"My Lords. Now that it has pleased Almighty God to call to his mercy, my uncle-," a sudden cough overcame Victoria and when she felt she could breathe again, she looked up and saw the disapproving looks the Counsellors shared. Look on at our new Queen, people, see how unprepared the youth is! On the fringes of the crowd, she saw movement and briefly looked towards it, a Privy Counsellor looking at her steadily and giving an encouraging nod.

And so Victoria cleared her throat, spoke from her stomach so the words would not get caught in her throat.

"I know that I am young. And some would say my gender puts me at a disadvantage. But I know my duty and I assure you, I am ready for the great responsibility that lies before me." A chair was brought out and once again, she was a small woodland creature in a room full of metaphorical wolves. A Counsellor departed from the crowd and bent down on one knee in front of the Queen. Victoria put her hand out for him to kiss. Finally, something she knew.

"Your Majesty," he said.

And Victoria forgot the name of every person in the room. The man still looked at her, expecting some kind of response but she was frozen.  Victoria looked round, eyes falling on Conroy, perhaps he could help? Alas, it wasn't meant to be, as she guessed. A man leaned towards him, whispered some horrid comment in Conroy's ears and the Queen watched the Prime Minister as he smirked and chuckled quietly.

Her mind thawed when Victoria heard the floor creak to the side of her and a voice murmur in her ear, " _Lord Ilchester_." She repeated the name and the man finally left, replaced by another. Brief, deafening panic set in but again, this guardian angel murmured the answer, " _Lord Howard_."

"Lord Howard."

"Your Majesty." " _Viscount Falkland_." "Viscount Falkland."

"Your Majesty." " _Lord Shaftesbury_." "Lord Shaftesbury."

"Your Majesty." " _Lord Fitzroy_." "Lord Fitzroy."

Eventually the stream of greying men ceased flowing and Victoria heard the floor creak once more. Her saviour moved from her side onto his knees in front of the Queen.

"Your Majesty," he said before kissing her hand. He looked up and with that encouraging smile, he said, " _Lord Melbourne_."

"Lord Melbourne," Victoria repeated, observing him closely. Lord Melbourne was remarkably younger than all other Counsellors, with only a few, slight tinges of silver in his dark hair and laughter lines around his eyes. He held himself with an ease not found in the young and yet he was a breath of fresh air compared to the stuffy manners of the older generations. He still held Victoria's hand and she allowed herself to enjoy the warmth of his hand.

"Thank you, Lord Melbourne."

"I am your subject, your Majesty, and I am at your command," the Lord told his Queen. He had soft green eyes and immediately Victoria felt at ease.

If it wasn't for Conroy.

"Your Majesty. I believe you're running late for the proclamation. There's an unruly crowd waiting for you."

Lord Melbourne stood up and once again disappeared into the fringes of the crowd. Victoria stood up and the Privy Council bowed once more, the younger Lord raising himself just a little slower than everyone else. Conroy had already began to leave the room and Victoria followed him, her eye still trained on Lord Melbourne. He was a curiosity and she was curious. The doors fell closed behind her and she walked behind Conroy through the corridor to the balcony. He stopped. Victoria noticed his infuriating habit once more; Conroy was fond of opening and closing his mouth before actually saying something. And she was sure that whatever he was saying was of no real relevance.

"I would like to assure you, your Majesty, that I am willing to offer my services to you or your family. As you know, the Duchess considers me her confidant and it will not do me any displeasure to extend my services to your Majesty. I understand that you are not trained for this position and should you consider a regency, I will support your decision."

Victoria was astounded. How dare he! Her blood boiled and she pressed her nails into her palm to calm herself down. "Thank you, Sir Conroy. But when I require advice, I will ask for it!" She controlled her voice so that she wasn't shouting but indeed her voice carried anger down the hallway. Victoria turned away from his embarrassed expression and said the magic words.

"You have permission to withdraw."

Conroy walked down the corridor and made for the turning that led to the sitting room with haste. Before he left her sight, he placed his hand on the wall and sneered back at the young Queen, so foolish and rash.

Victoria waited until Conroy was far away from the room and finally caved in. Leaning against the wall, she breathed in deeply, just as Lehzen had taught her. She felt tears threaten to spill over and pushed against her eyes as if to stop them. A Queen couldn't be seen to be crying and Victoria blew her nose before smoothing out any creases in her black dress.

"I am the Queen of this country. I am Queen, I am Queen, I am Queen" she repeated to herself as she walked out onto the balcony, immediately well responded to by the large crowd, cheering for her, for her.

Victoria had been belittled for so long in her life, Mama hellbent on keeping her isolated from society. Now she was free. Yes, she was scared. But her loyal subjects were cheering for her, for Queen Victoria. Adrenaline was rushing in her veins and she didn't have to be scared anymore.

 

* * *

 

Victoria found Conroy, Mama and Lehzen all waiting for her in the sitting room. Victoire and the Prime Minister were sat at a small table drinking tea, talking amongst themselves and shunning Lehzen to stand by the window. Lehzen was a welcome sight for the Queen, who gave her a knowing smile whilst Conroy stood up and bowed again.

"Toria, come sit down with us," Victoire invited her daughter to the seat opposite her. She could have declined but Victoria had learnt long ago that sometimes it was simply easier to go along with Mama's plans, and she had also found that a decent cup of tea was certainly a welcome delight. She sat herself down, filled her cup with sugary tea and waited for Conroy to incessantly open and close his mouth, drivelling on and on.

"Your Majesty. Are you aware of the Accession Act?" Victoria delayed her answer by sipping more tea whilst frantically wracking her brain, hoping such a term would ring a distant bell.

"I don't believe I've heard of that Act. Why, is it important?"

Conroy sighed and put down his cup. "Perhaps, your Majesty, if you had studied political science at university as your mother suggested, rather than take gap years and dilly dally with paints, you would know more about the country you are to rule."

Lehzen opened her mouth to defend Victoria but she got there first.

"May I remind you Conroy, that whilst I took a gap year and 'dilly dallied' as you refer to it, I was promoting alliances with other countries whilst I believe you welcomed anti-hunting ban groups. Correct me if I'm wrong but I don't think maintaining diplomatic relations counts as 'dilly dallying'."

Conroy, at least, had the propriety to apologise, albeit in his own way. "Forgive me, your Highness. It's just that I feel that you are not best prepared for this role. Your governess being German and studying art at university, I fear, has left you lacking."

Victoria glanced at her mother, hoping she would intervene but instead Victoire nodded along before catching her daughter's eye.

"What John is trying to say, Toria, is that you might seek mentoring. He could help. But this is not the matter at hand," the Duchess explained, turning towards Conroy to hear him speak and showing her ignorance to Victoria's feelings.

"The Accession Act is a piece of legislation from the reforms brought in during Queen Mary and King William's reign. I'm sure you're aware of how far reaching these reforms were. Parliament wanted to keep the Royal family stable and avoid the unsettling change of House which occurred when there wasn't a legitimate heir like Elizabeth the First. The Act states that a new monarch must be married within three months in order to increase the likelihood of an heir or, they must abdicate."

For a solid minute, there was silence, not even the sound of china cups clinking against china saucer plates. Victoria turned to face Lehzen, who was fiercely avoiding eye contact, and she turned back to Mama and Conroy.

"You're saying that in order to be Queen, I must marry?" Victoria asked. They all nodded.

She stood up suddenly and slammed her hands down heavily, tea over-spilling onto the table. "No! I refuse to marry! What are we, in the Alexandrinian era?!" She couldn't comprehend how Mama and Conroy were so calm about this; how casually it was understood and presumed that she would marry. Victoria deflated and fell back in her chair. She looked at her hands in her lap and whispered quietly, "I'm only twenty two. I only just finished university."

Victoire leaned over and took her daughter's hand, Victoria too tired and upset to snatch her hand away. "Toria. _Mein kleines Mädchen_ , do not fret. It won't be so bad, you won't have to abdicate."

Victoria looked up with fire in her eyes; Victoire recognised that familiar look easily from her husband and was reminded that her daughter was indeed her father's child.

"No, I'll just have to marry instead!" Victoria stood up and started to pace the room. "Mama, I am only twenty two and they expect me to marry?!" She knew Conroy would see it as the Queen throwing a tantrum but regardless, she stomped one leg onto the floor and screamed quietly into her hands before throwing them down to her sides and bundling them into fists. "How am I expected to rule this country efficiently when I'll be too concerned finding someone to marry?"

The Duchess could only watch her daughter seek comfort in her old governess, standing to her side and holding Lehzen's hand. Victoria had long rejected her mother's so-called love in favour of her dependable Lehzen, who was always fighting in her corner when Mama should have.

"Have strength, your Majesty," Lehzen told Victoria as she smiled and squeezed the Queen's hand. Victoria squeezed back and breathed in deeply. She slowly released Lehzen's hand but stayed with her by the window, looking instead at the scene outside rather than Mama and Conroy.

"Tell me, Conroy.” The Queen commanded. “How have I not heard of this Act before? Surely I must have read about it somewhere?" She noticed that he waited briefly before saying anything.

"It is an old piece of legislation, your Majesty. James Callaghan attempted to repeal it and, well, we all know how successful he was at government. It's been a long time since a new monarch hasn't been married at the time of accession and I doubt many will remember such an obscure Act."

Victoria turned around to face the Prime Minister. "Well then, why not have your government repeal it? You've been in power for nigh on three years, surely you could've done something."

Again, Conroy looked at Victoire, as if he needed assistance with such a wayward Queen. "With all due respect, many in my party would consider a repeal to be less of a priority than other matters of politics. That, and there is only so much my Party Whip can do. My MPs may be part of my party but as you can imagine, Parliament can be unruly at times."

Victoria pondered his words briefly. A phone chimed noisily, interrupting the meeting. Conroy dug his hand into an inner pocket, reading a notification on it and disregarding the alert. "And of course, there is the matter of how you will style yourself. Victoria is hardly the name of a great Queen. You need a more suitable name like Elizabeth or perhaps Alexandrina. I think Alexandrina II has a wonderful ring to it.”

Conroy's phone chimed again and he read the notification, his face wrinkling into a grimace. The Prime Minister looked up, and requested, "I am required at the Commons. May I have leave to return there?" and Victoria could barely hide her gleeful smile and nodded. Conroy bowed in the Queen's direction, disregarding Lehzen and shooting a sly smile at Victoire, who laid her hand on Victoria's shoulder.

"My little Toria is the _Königin_ ," Victoire said wistfully. Victoria resented the possessive hand on her shoulder and inched away, closer to Lehzen.

"No more German, Mama. You must remember that you are the mother of the Queen of the United Kingdom. Now if you would excuse me, I have quite a headache from all this excitement and I must get some fresh air. I believe I saw your ladies approaching the door from the window. Lehzen, come with me. I leave you, Mama."

Lehzen offered her arm and although it was something she didn't enjoy as a child, she linked her arm joyfully with Lehzen's and left Mama with her tea.

Once the two had reached the extensive grounds, Victoria inhaled deeply, enjoying the gentle breeze and the faint sounds of London stream drifting from the distance into the estate.

"Are you feeling better, your Majesty?" Lehzen asked before seeing Victoria's wicked smile.

"Oh I am feeling quite fine now Conroy has left." Lehzen couldn't stop the chuckle coming out of her and Victoria smiled, relaxing fully for the first time that day. Lehzen’s charge was all grown up; a Queen ruling a glorious Kingdom. But Lehzen couldn't help but frown and of course, Victoria, her clever and attentive Toria, sensed her troubles immediately.

"I know that you haven't needed me since you were eighteen but you have kept me by your side. I expect that I am to return to Hanover now since you won't be needing your old governess now." Lehzen looked away from Victoria and expected a confirmation of her fears.

They did not come. Instead Victoria stared at her with a strange expression that combined both trepidation and disbelief. "Dearest Lehzen! Of course, I will need you by my side, maybe not as a governess, but as a confident and advisor. Who else will I be able to trust? Who else understands me as well as you do? Certainly not Mama!" Victoria laughed hollowly.

Lehzen could already see the weight of a heavy crown and an even heavier wedding ring on the Queen’s conscience and her heart broke to see her dear Toria already struggling with her new position. She knew what to do.

"Come, Toria, Dash is waiting for you. You can play that Schubert piece I taught you when you were fourteen. Do you remember your mother's expression when you played that opera concerto she despised?" Victoria's face instantly glowed and she couldn't help but laugh in rememberence at her mother's insistence that "modern operas were all _Quatsch_ " and Lehzen should have never have taught her that. Lehzen led the two of them back inside and hoped that her charge would continue to smile and laugh like that, even when she was burdened by such a heavy crown.

 

* * *

 

Victoria woke up the next morning, thankfully to no more life changing news notifications. Her mother snored in the room next to her and it was still early. Eliza Skerrett, her favourite assistant, had not yet come in to light the fireplace. The birds were chirping quietly, singing a sleepy song that perhaps on another day, Victoria would've fallen asleep to. But for some inexplicable reason, she felt too awake to close her eyes again. Victoria had never felt more awake.

The floorboards creaked under her feet and the sound stirred Dash from where he slept at the end of Victoria's bed. He faithfully followed his owner as she crept out of the room; Lehzen still still asleep in Victoria's sitting room on her favourite sofa. The blanket had fell onto the floor and Victoria pressed her finger to her lips, telling her dog to be quiet as she lifted up the blanket and placed it over her governess, resisting a childish urge to kiss Lehzen on the forehead as she once did for her.

Victoire employed only a few staff and it was testament to how early the new Queen had awoken that none of them were walking through the mansion. The corridors were long and empty and Victoria looked back and forth to see if someone was watching her as she ran down them, Dash racing behind her. Her hair was wild and she felt free, sprinting around the mansion, skidding on the waxed floors in her socks and pyjamas. She reached the ballroom and smiled brightly. Certain that no one would see her, she danced round in a mock waltz, Dash jumping up and she couldn't resist laughing and twirling around the room until she was dizzy.

The door opened and Victoria paused mid-spin, frantically patting her hair down and regaining composure until she saw who it was.

"Emma!"

"Your Majesty! You're up quite early."

Victoria walked over to Lady Emma and stood on tip toes to kiss her on the cheek. "I couldn't fall back asleep and I wasn't expecting anyone to be up. I think it can be our secret that the Queen has fun around her house," she said with a grin. Victoria liked Emma. She always went along with her schemes, allowing her to explore society without Mama breathing down her neck. "Why are you here so early?"

"Your mother called me here to catch up on some discussions from yesterday. I shan't be here long unfortunately," Emma informed Victoria.

Victoria pouted. "How unfortunate." Emma curtsied with a "your Majesty" and left to find Victoire's rooms.

Now that the city had started to wake up, there was no fun in staying downstairs and she called Dash over, ready to find the dining room, though perhaps after a few detours, not quite ready to see her mother just yet.

 

* * *

 

Victoria joined her mother for breakfast. She tucked into her morning meal, perhaps not in a regal manner, still in pyjamas with crumbs and jam falling onto her face and clothes. Lehzen tapped around her mouth subtly and Victoria immediately understood the code, wiping around her own mouth and removing the majority of the mess. She noticed that Mama seemed glued to her phone, ignoring her breakfast in favour of tapping at her phone frequently.

"Mama, is something the matter?"

Victoire looked up as if she was surprised. "Oh nothing, Toria."

She left Mama to her own purposes, drinking her coffee as her father did, two sugars, no milk. Victoria had learnt how to wait her time for Mama to announce her thoughts and was rewarded only a few moments later when she finally put down her phone.

"Toria. About the Accession Act-"

"Oh for God's sake could you just let me forget that for one day?" Victoria snapped, putting her coffee down angrily. She recognised the glowering look on Mama's face and picked up the mug again, hiding her face behind it.

"Unfortunately we can't. Time is of the essence, Toria. But I believe I have the solution."

Victoria lowered her mug with a quirk of her eyebrows. "A solution? Or the solution? To the fact I must marry within three months or give up my throne? To the fact I have no say on this absurd law?" She snorted and continued to drink her coffee.

"I have spoken with one of my Ladies, Emma. I'm sure you remember her" - Victoria recalled her, her early visit suddenly making sense - "She says she can vouch for a man who would be willing to marry you. He's a crossbench Peer, thirty years old. Her husband is friends with him and she assures me that he is nothing but a gentleman."

Victoria’s eyes flickered up, certain that her mother was joking.

Mama was not.

"Mama, do you honestly expect me to enter an arranged marriage just because Emma vouched for him? He would be a stranger! Do you not care for your daughter’s safety?" She rolled her eyes, exasperated at her mother’s suggestion.

Victoire shrugged with an air of casual nonchalance, "Do you imagine you will find someone to fall in love with and marry within three months?" She had a point and Victoria resented that. "In fact, I have invited him for you to meet him. He should be here soon, in fact."

Victoria choked on her coffee. "Mama! When will you stop interfering in my life?!" Breakfast had been all but forgotten about.

"Toria, I'm just trying to do my best for you. Now you must go get ready to meet him, you need to make a good first impression on him, come." Victoire stood up, leaving the dishes behind and waiting for her daughter to stand up. "Make sure you make an effort and wear that black dress Leopold bought you. This man could be your husband. Do not forget you are still in mourning for that awful man, but appear well presented.”

Victoria soon found that whilst the black dress Uncle Leopold bought her was beautiful and brought out the gorgeous flecks of blue in her eyes, it was not the best dress to wear after breakfast, especially after gorging herself out on toast.

"Any tighter Eliza, and I'll be out of breath!"

"Apologies, your Majesty. It's a very nice dress but it does look rather painful, if you don't mind me saying." Eliza said. The corset was surely unnecessary, Uncle Leopold just seemed to have an obsession for the ways of Alexandrinian society. Victoria sucked in her stomach and Skerrett finally finished wrestling with the corset and helped her into the dress.

A thought then struck the Queen. "Eliza! Before I forget, I have the most beautiful necklace that would look perfect on you and ah! No protests, you deserve this.”

Eliza was fond of her Majesty, or her Highness as she was not long ago. She had worked in other places where she wasn't treated well but her past was her own and so was her future. Skerrett had become part of the Duchess's household perfectly well. If one asked, Eliza would say that her Majesty was a good sort, treated her mother's staff with dignity and was far too willing to give her jewellery, even though it was more than a year’s worth of wages for the household staff. It appeared that even a crown could not drown out her Majesty's kindness, as Victoria handed her a sparkling necklace crammed with small diamonds. Skerrett thanked her lucky stars that this was where she was, in service of a great woman.

In the full length mirror, Victoria could see Lehzen watching her.

"Tell me, Lehzen, you know everything and anything. What do you know of this man I'm to meet?"

The governess thought for a moment before answering. "I have heard many different stories about this man but some appear to have some truth to them. No name has been given but they say that he's not of any royal blood whatsoever which makes sense. Your ancestor Queen Alexandrina is called the Grandmother of Europe for a reason. There's hardly any royals for you to marry; you're either too closely related or they have no land. He's not royal and his family kept their distance from court."

"For what reason could that be?"

"It seems his family... could be described as womanisers, even back in the 1800s. Their affairs were public and of course, court shunned them for that reason. The heir sits in the House of Lords and holds the title of Viscount.”

Lehzen inhaled nervously, “Now, Toria, if you feel uncomfortable, I can wait for you outside the room."

"Thank you Lehzen. I don't know how I will cope with walking into a room to find a stranger who might become my husband."

Eliza's eyes widened briefly in shock but she regained control of her emotions by the time Victoria looked at her. She smiled unconvincingly at Victoria.

 

* * *

 

Victoria was ready, finally in that damn dress Uncle Leopold bought her. Victoria was wearing only natural make up, as Lehzen refused to let her wear anything "undignified" and Mama said that leaving her hair down made her look like a child. With this, Eliza had braided her hair, pinning it up in the French style.

Mama escorted her to the sitting room, where she kissed Victoria's cheek with a "good luck" and left with Lehzen. She was left with a ticking clock and butterflies in her stomach and although Mama told her to sit down and wait for this unknown man, she couldn't help but bounce her foot in anticipation, eventually standing by the window and tapping her fingers against the frame rapidly, the rhythm matching her racing heartbeat. Victoria heard the door open behind her, the man entered, she turned round...

"You?!" Victoria covered her mouth at her rudeness.

Lord Melbourne stayed where he was, also in shock. "Were you expecting someone else?” He looked from side to side with fake expectation, “Surprisingly, I haven't seen any other gentleman.”

Victoria shook her head and brought her hands down to her sides.

"I wasn't quite sure who to expect. My family do have some rather strange ideas about who I should marry."

Lord Melbourne smiled briefly before remembering himself and his obligations, kneeling before Victoria and kissing her hand. "May I offer my condolences on the death of your uncle, your Majesty." He stood up and backed away from Victoria, giving her the space she surely needed in such a moment.

"He was always kind to me." There was a brief awkward interlude and Victoria fidgeted with her hands, Lord Melbourne seemingly happy to wait for her. She contemplated for a few seconds, then decided to come straight out with it, "Mama told her that you are willing to marry me, so that I may take the throne?"

He cleared his throat before thinking of an answer. "I said that I am your servant and that I am yours to command. If that is what you wish, I am willing to do so, your Majesty." Victoria sat down by the window but he did not join her, instead standing in front of her with his hands behind his back, in a proper and polite manner.

"Tell me, Lord Melbourne. How is it that a crossbench Peer is convinced to give up his seat in Parliament to marry the new Queen?" Victoria asked.

"From what I had heard yesterday, the Right Honourable John Conroy told you of the Accession Act. The Duchess of Kent told you about me? One of her Ladies, Emma Portman, is a lifelong friend of mine. She spoke to me about it, said that either you would have to marry someone or abdicate. If there's one thing I do believe in, it's the British constitution, in all its tattered glory."

"A constitution that requires the monarch to be married." Victoria quipped.

His mouth quirked in a quick smile. "And tattered indeed it is. I will do anything for this country. Even if it does mean marrying the Queen." He spoke seriously, without condescension and Victoria respected him for his attitude. He didn't laugh at the young Queen and he treated her with dignity.

"Well, aren't you quite the patriot? And you trust Lady Emma?"

Lord Melbourne considered her question. "She has been a dear friend to me for many years. I have served with Lord Portman for quite some time now but it is her who has helped me in my lowest moments. I trust her with my life." He was honest, perhaps more honest than he needed to be but Victoria was warming up to him. He wasn't some minor Lord, wanting to become the Queen's husband for status and attention. He was doing it for his country and his love for it.

"I trust Emma as well. Lehzen is wonderful but Emma, well, she's the one I go to for anything perhaps not so regal."

Lord Melbourne chuckled, green eyes sparkling. "That is most certainly one way of describing Emma. I do sometimes wonder about what antics she'll get up to next." They both smiled at each other and Victoria felt more comfortable.

She was suddenly struck with an idea. "You're a Lord. Surely you must know about this Act. Is there anyway of getting rid of it?"

"It would have to go through as a Green Bill initially and be passed by both Houses repeatedly. If the Commons eventually passed it, you would then be free." Already he was proving valuable, his experience and knowledge a welcome asset.

"How long can such a process take?"

"The Lords can delay a Bill by a year and I'm afraid that it would take at least another year for it to be approved."

"So there is no situation whereby it could be passed before the three month point?"

"I'm sorry to say this but no. You would have to marry until the Act was repealed."

"And that's if it's even approved! I asked Conroy if he could repeal it and he went on about Party Whips and whatnot. He doesn't quite instil any confidence in me about his government or his power over it. How can I be a great Queen when my government is useless?" She disregarded the temptation to hunch her shoulders and look at the hands in her lap.

"They all think because I'm small, I'm still a child! They've always underestimated me, they expect me to fail. They don't think me capable of being Queen."

Lord Melbourne stepped forward, dropping his head slightly. "I think they’re mistaken, your Majesty. And anyone who dares comment on your stature should be sent straight to the Tower." Victoria laughed quietly and her eyes and mouth smiling at the Lord.

"I've only known you a short while but I'm confident you’ll bring great credit to the monarchy. It’s true your education may be lacking in some areas but you have a natural dignity that cannot be learnt."

She looked up and considered him further. "You don't think I'm too short to be dignified?"

He smiled and uttered to her, as if it was the most natural thing in the world, "To me, your Majesty, you're every inch a Queen."

Victoria stood up and observed this man, who seemed to inherently trust her judgement, a rare character indeed. "Lord Melbourne, this Act. If repealed, would I be able to then divorce and marry who I wished?"

"It would be unprecedented but I believe society has progressed enough that a divorced Queen wouldn't be too outrageous."

She thought and considered her situation. A marriage of convenience to Lord Melbourne, who was admittedly easy on the eye, until the Accession Act was repealed, was a considerable concept. And after a brief but amicable divorce, she could again be free from archaic rules which were no longer applicable.

Victoria stepped forward, having to tilt her head back to look at him. "If I were to propose marriage, would you accept it? As soon as the Act is repealed, we would divorce and you would be free. Does that sound agreeable to you?"

He nodded once more and she muttered under her breath, "time to do this properly." She thought it was too quiet but the slight quirk of Lord Melbourne's lips indicated it audible and she grinned as well.

"Lord Melbourne. Would you do me the honour of- no that's wrong," Victoria looked down at her hands before looking back up at him, that approving smile spurring her on. "Lord Melbourne, will you marry me?"

He didn't even require time to think, simply responded, "I'd be honoured to, your Majesty.

Victoria huffed in good humour. "If we are to be husband and wife, I do not think you can keep calling me your Majesty."

"Whatever you wish, ma'am." He replied.

Victoria couldn't help but smile. "Is that how it is?" She asked him, already feeling far more confident about such an arrangement.

"It is indeed ma'am."

"Well, it is an improvement, I guess. Thank you. Lord M," She decided upon and the small smile on her _fiancé's_  lips was suddenly worth the storm yet to come.


	2. The Daily Mail: Vicky ENGAGED! Who is HRH HUBBY?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "I know this is not... a conventional marriage but I'm aiming for some sense of normalcy. As Queen, it is only you who can propose but as your future husband, I wanted to give you something." 
> 
> From the inside pocket of his tailored suit jacket, Melbourne produced a small blue box and offered it to Victoria, the Viscount noticeably not down on one knee. 
> 
> She opened the box and was immediately enchanted with what she found inside - a slim gold ring with tiny diamonds embedded around the outside so that whenever Victoria moved her hand, the light would catch and the diamonds sparkles ferociously. "Lord M, this is beautiful!"
> 
> "It was my mother's. I kept it locked away for years but I- I no longer have any reasons to keep it in exile. May I?" He offered, smoothing over his staccato words. 
> 
> With a brief nod of assent, Melbourne took the box and held Victoria's left hand to slide the ring on, just slightly too wide for such a petite person and she held her hand up to the light, unable to wipe the blush on her cheeks from his gentle hold on her hand but more importantly the infectious smile on her face that Melbourne imperfectly copied in a small smile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And it’s back! Sorry for such a long wait. Both my beta and I were in our final year of secondary school and now we’re both at university (I got into my first choice uni and I moved to an entirely new city!) but I have no plans to abandon this (I’m currently writing chapter three and already it’s at 7k words and I haven’t even wrote the majority of it lol)
> 
>  **Theme song for this chapter:** [Langeweile by Feeling B](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=O7GfGFcfwHk)
> 
>  
> 
> **Translations:**
> 
>  
> 
>  _Conroy möchte deine Herrschaft sprechen. Ich muss ihm sehen:_ Conroy wants to speak about your reign. I must see him
> 
> Once again, endless thanks to my beta and to everyone who left such wonderful comments!!

 

Victoria smiled and looked at the man in front of her, her _fiancé_. Even though they were now engaged, Melbourne kept his distance and he became a welcome presence who respected her boundaries.

"Perhaps we should tell your mother? Though I will... admit that I am somewhat scared of the other woman waiting out there."

Victoria couldn't help but laugh lightly, unable to stifle the chuckle. "You're scared of Lehzen? You don't have to be. She's just protective of me. You have little to fear of her.” The Queen pauses. “Part of me doesn't want to tell Mama though." Lord Melbourne looked at her quizzically.

"I'd much rather not give her the satisfaction of going along with her plan."

Melbourne nodded once, saying nothing. He offered his arm but dropped the offer when Victoria took too long to take it. "Forgive me ma'am, I stepped out of my place."

"No! No, Lord M, it’s not you. It's actually just a very silly thing of mine." Victoria averted her eyes downwards, blushing slightly and scrunched her skirts with her hands before recollecting her thoughts and smoothing the fabric with her fingertips.

"Mama would hardly let me walk anywhere without taking someone's arm. She honestly thought I would come to some kind of danger." She looked up slowly, expecting some kind of judgement or a curious look from her fiancé. However, it did not come and instead, Melbourne looked at her as if she was making a valid comment.

"I shall keep that in mind." He noted diligently and opened the door for Victoria. Whilst she didn't take his arm, she felt more comfortable and stood closer to him. Melbourne followed her as she strode through the door.

On the arrival of the Queen, Mama and Lehzen rose from their seats- Victoire laid her phone down and Lehzen carefully placed a bookmark in a large paperback. Victoria looked up to Lord Melbourne, who stood somewhat respectfully behind her, briefly before speaking.

"Mama, Lehzen. I have proposed marriage and Lord M has accepted."

The two women blinked at her. A long silence endured, before Victoire managed to summon language to her lips. "Lord M?"

Before Victoria could respond, Melbourne answered the Duchess’ query. "If you don't mind me saying, your Royal Highness, but it appears that her Majesty is fond of giving nicknames."

Victoria tsked and turned her head to playfully scold Lord Melbourne. "Lord M, what was it that we agreed upon earlier?”

To her remark, he sighed in good humour and acknowledged it with a raise of his eyebrows. "That I wouldn't refer to you as that, ma'am."

Silence fell once more and Victoria observed Lehzen looking at Melbourne with a disapproving stare. "Your Majesty,” she began, “is this a good idea? You have only just met Lord Melbourne. You are no more than acquaintances."

Victoria stepped forward, as did Melbourne.

"Lord Melbourne and I have come to an amicable agreement, Lehzen." She wanted to say more but Victoire interrupted after clearing her throat.

"I hope, Viscount, you are as reputable as Emma told me. What now, my daughter? Shall we release a press statement on your future union.”

Victoria paused, realising this was something she was never taught. She knew the constitution. She knew her family line. But she didn't know how to be Queen, that she was still learning. And once again, Melbourne was able to help.

"Excuse me, Duchess but the procedure would be another Privy Council meeting for their approval and then an official statement would be released. Who knows what spin they could put out on this."

Victoria balked. She despised the Council - so many men judging her. "Yet another of the Privy Council?” She scoffed. “How many times must I meet with them? I fear they'll be bored of me!" She heard a snort behind her and turned round to see Lord M smiling subtly, only a twitch of his mouth before he smoothed out his face in deferential respect.

"Unfortunately so, ma'am. An royal marriage requires their complete approval and of course there is the matter of titles and allowances to take into consideration." Melbourne spoke easily of such a drawn out process, leaving Victoria bewildered. Ready to ask more questions, Mama's phone suddenly chirped and Victoire muttered softly in German, too low for her daughter to understand. Looking up from her phone, she reverted to her mother tongue. " _Conroy möchte deine Herrschaft sprechen. Ich muss ihm sehen_."

Victoire made excuses to leave the room after kissing her daughter on the cheek, something Victoria detested. The Queen caught her eye. "Mama, you must stop talking in German."

Victoire scoffed lightly, "Toria, I know you understand me perfectly."

Still, Victoria held her ground. "As your daughter, I speak your language. As the Queen of this country, I only speak English, the language of the crown." Victorie declined to answer and before leaving the room, she placed her hand on Victoria's shoulder and smiled.

"It is not often you agree with me, Toria. This union... it's a nice surprise." Repressing the urge to roll her eyes, Victoria stepped away from her mother and looked behind her to her fiancé who wore a subtle smile. She smiled back and spoke from her stomach.

"This was not your doing, Mama. This marriage is on our terms only." Victoire had nothing of significance left to say and kissed Victoria again on the cheek.

"If that is all." She told her before departing the room, leaving Victoria with Lehzen and Melbourne. Victoria could read the disapproval on Lehzen's face and stepped forward to hold her hands.

"Don't worry. He seems honourable and it shan't be for long."

Lehzen looked over Victoria's shoulder to look at Melbourne. "I don't trust him. But I do trust your judgement."

"And that is all I will ever ask of you. Now, Lehzen, as your first job as my Head of Household, could you prepare a press release? I would trust no one else for something so important."

Melbourne cleared his throat and Victoria turned to face his address. "Forgive me, ma'am but perhaps it might be wiser to announce this after the agreement of the Privy Council. I doubt they will refuse our engagement, touch wood, but I wouldn't want to jinx this."

Once again, Lord M knew what the Queen didn't. Victoria made an affirmative noise and brought her attention to Lehzen. "Could you prepare the statement now and wait for my word on the Council's approval. I can't believe I'm thwarted by protocol."

"As you wish, your Majesty." Lehzen left the room, pausing to look at Melbourne with narrowed eyes.

Once she had departed, Victoria sighed deeply and dropped herself onto the sofa Mama had occupied earlier. She resisted the temptation to rub at her face, suddenly tiring. Instead she crossed her legs, hands in her lap, wanting for another coffee. "Lord M, you are a welcome fountain of knowledge," she informed him, her fiancé still standing. He smiled wryly.

"I would hope I would know about this after three years as a Lord, ma'am. I'd make for rather a useless Peer if I didn't."

Victoria laughed under her breath and stood up, putting her hand up to tell Melbourne to stay there. "Would you care for coffee? As entertaining as an engagement can be, I didn't appreciate having to do so much in a morning."

"Ma'am, I believe you read my mind. Coffee would be very useful right now."

She opened the door to the corridor and as she expected, Brodie was waiting, back to the wall, tapping away at his phone. She called out for him and he startled, shoving his phone back into his pockets. "Your Majesty! I-"

Victoria cut him off. "Oh it’s fine, Brodie. I was wondering if you could bring some coffee for us. Lord M and I shall remain in the sitting room."

Brodie nodded and hurriedly walked down the plushly-carpeted corridor. Victoria closed the door behind her, Lehzen's ideas about Melbourne a distant echo in her judgement. Lord M continued to stand and she couldn't help but laugh a bit, to which he looked confused at.

"Lord M, you don't always have to stand in my company. The Queen gives you permission to sit." She informed him in good nature. He smiled as well and finally sat down thought Victoria noted that he chose the chair opposite, propriety presumably telling him that he couldn't sit next to a monarch, even if she was his fiancée.

Victoria sat down in her chair, her feet barely skimming the dark wooden floor. Melbourne, although he carried that air of deliberate casualness, appeared to be feeling a certain and vague nervousness, as someone not quite used to being in this kinds of situation. That would then beg the question of who has been in this situation, one of an arranged marriage to the Queen. She opened her mouth to somehow reassure him, not entirely sure of how she would but she was interrupted by a knock at the door. Brodie came in, balancing a tray carrying all manners of coffee paraphernalia. Victoria watched the brunet place it down with care, used to his steady presence around the mansion.

The footman went to leave but Victoria spoke before he was gone. "Brodie. You're friends with Mrs Jenkins, aren't you? She wasn't there with Skerrett earlier today, do you know what's happened?" He stepped forward before answering her question.

"Yes, your Majesty. That's why I was on my phone earlier, she sent me a message. Her nephew's got caught up in some trouble and her sister needed the support." Victoria understood completely and told Brodie so. He went out the door, shutting it gently behind him, leaving Victoria and Melbourne with empty china cups and steaming coffee.

Melbourne’s manners told him to pour the drink for Victoria but before he could even stretch out his hand she got there first - her efficient in completing the process as a key indicator of a seasoned caffeine fanatic. She poured slowly, focused solely on not making a fool of herself and dropping the cafetière. "How do you take your coffee?"

Lord M didn't respond and Victoria looked up, having poured the coffee out already and saw he had relaxed, finding himself more comfortable. She made eye contact with him, bright blue eyes meeting calm green ones, and he remembered himself and her question.

"Black with two sugars, please."

She smiled brightly and he leaned forward, as if Victoria was the sun and Melbourne was a flower. "That is exactly how I take my coffee as well," she said as two sugar cubes softly dissolved in the coffee. Handing the cup to him, she remarked, "Mama told me Papa always drank too much coffee and that it was always two sugars, no milk."

Melbourne sipped at his coffee, his lips and palate burnt slightly by the scalding liquid. “He was a wise man, ma'am. I think if I was a Royal, I too would need that much coffee."

She raised an eyebrow and responded, "well you are to be one soon, Lord M."

They drank their coffee slowly and Victoria observed him from the corner of her eye, trying to learn something from her new fiancé from the way his eyes would close as he drank, as if the coffee itself was liquid energy.

By the time she had drank half her cup, the caffeine began to work through her veins, making her feel more alert and less of a zombie. The silence between the two of them was amicable but her thoughts, creeping in through the lack of conversation, were uncomfortably taking her back to Conroy looking at her with distain as she couldn't even remember the names of her Privy Council. She shuddered and Melbourne noticed from behind his cup.

"Lord M, what happens now?"

He placed his nearly empty cup back on the tray and smiled at her, seeing the nerves slowly get to her and hoping to displace them.

"Ma'am, I think for that conversation, we are going to need far more coffee."

 

* * *

 

They did indeed require far more coffee. Three days later, Victoria summoned the Privy Council, though she did possess a greater sense of confidence, stable in the knowledge that should a repeat of her first meeting occur once more, Lord M would once again step in.

Although protocol would dictate that since Melbourne would no longer sit in the Lords, he had no reason to attend but Victoria requested his presence, fearful of once again, being in a room full of metaphorical wolves without someone, a trained warrior of this territory to fight her battle.

Lehzen scheduled the meeting later in the morning in an attempt to minimise the Queen’s grouchiness so but still, she was annoyed. Melbourne arrived at the mansion early and was directed to Victoria's study where she was pacing the floor with a half written speech in her hand, Skerrett trailing her trying to finish a braid and Dash watching the unfolding events from his spot curled up by the desk.

Victoria was surprised to see Lord M in her study but his offer to read her speech tamed the butterflies in her stomach and eventually she was coaxed to sitting behind her desk, Lord M opposite her with a pen and Skerrett breathed in relief as she could finally finish the braid. Melbourne was nothing like Conroy. Where the horrid Prime Minister would have sneered and rewrote the speech to his liking, Lord M simply made suggestions, asked for Victoria's opinion and by the time her hair was swept up from the nape of her neck, the sheet of paper holding the speech was covered in both her neat and Melbourne's cursive handwriting.

After she had been readied for the day ahead of her and long before her phone would light up with a reminder for the meeting, Melbourne murmured under his breath a desire to talk to Victoria alone. With speech in hand, the pair walked down corridors, seemingly aimless to Victoria until Melbourne stopped in front of a painting of Elizabeth I, the Virgin Queen watching the proceedings.

Melbourne was not a naturally anxious person, regarded by many in the House of Lords as unflappable, but Victoria couldn't help but notice the minute twitches of his hands as he collected his thoughts and inhaled to speak.

"I know this is not... a conventional marriage but I'm aiming for some sense of normalcy. As Queen, it is only you who can propose but as your future husband, I wanted to give you something."

From the inside pocket of his tailored suit jacket, Melbourne produced a small blue box and offered it to Victoria, the Viscount noticeably not down on one knee.

She opened the box and was immediately enchanted with what she found inside - a slim gold ring with tiny diamonds embedded around the outside so that whenever Victoria moved her hand, the light would catch and the diamonds sparkles ferociously. "Lord M, this is beautiful!"

"It was my mother's. I kept it locked away for years but I- I no longer have any reasons to keep it in exile. May I?" He offered, smoothing over his staccato words.

With a brief nod of assent, Melbourne took the box and held Victoria's left hand to slide the ring on, just slightly too wide for such a petite person and she held her hand up to the light, unable to wipe the blush on her cheeks from his gentle hold on her hand but more importantly the infectious smile on her face that Melbourne imperfectly copied in a small smile.

Soon Victoria's phone chimed with a second reminder for the meeting and Melbourne was following her in his dark two piece suit as they walked away from the Virgin Queen to that same sitting room. Of course Victoria couldn't help but vent to him whilst making their way down the corridor. "Is this really necessary?" She questioned. "Surely whom I marry is my choice."

"Of course it is but nonetheless, we do need the approval of the Privy Council."

The doors were already open and the Privy Council quietened as she and Lord M entered. Conroy stepped forward to kiss her hand, seemingly not noticing the ring and although it disgusted Victoria to put her hand out, she knew if she didn't, the Council would have yet another reason to have little faith in their monarch.

"Such a delight to see the Queen so soon," He said whilst standing up before noticing the man behind Victoria. "Melbourne."

"Conroy." Lord M responded with an air of forced politeness and Victoria felt the atmosphere cool immediately. She left the two men and walked over to the throne where she sat and the Privy Council bowed. In the corner of her eye, Victoria saw Melbourne stay close to the walls, away from the main crowd and noticed his attentive gaze, the cloying anomie she suffered three days ago dispelled by him. She sat up with the speech they had jointly prepared in her hand.

"I have caused you to be assembled at the present time, in order that I might acquaint you with my resolution in a matter which deeply concerns the welfare of my people and the happiness of my future life.

It is my intention to ally myself with the Viscount Melbourne. Deeply impressed with the solemnity of the engagement which I am about to contract, I have not come to this decision without a mature consideration, nor without feelings of strong assurance that, with the blessing of Almighty God, it will at once secure my domestic felicity and serve the interests of my country."

Immediately in response, voices buzzed around the room in a general air of disbelief. She raised her voice even higher so that the Council would hear her.

"I have thought it fit to make this resolution known to you at the earliest period, in order that you may be fully appraised of a matter so highly important to me and to my kingdom and which I persuade myself to be most acceptable to all my loving subjects."

Disdainful looks were thrown in Melbourne's direction and even though he stood tall through it, Victoria didn't want him to suffer the gossip. She sat up further, clambering for their attention. "My Lords," she tried in vein. "My Lords!" She shouted louder until the men turned away from Lord M. "Perhaps a little decorum wouldn't go amiss."

Conroy stepped in front of the main crowd. "I would like to congratulate your Majesty on the engagement. However I cannot but fear that this is a rash decision."

And of course, Conroy's ever-helpful advice. Victoria stood up and she was taller than him, a simple platform and Lord M's approving gaze boosting her confidence. "If you would like to discuss this, I believe you will find Mama very useful." She said meaningfully before looking over to Melbourne and she knew what to say. "I am the Queen of this country, the granddaughter of a King. If there is one thing I believe in, it is the British constitution, even if it is one that requires me to marry. I have chosen my husband. Abdication will never be an option for me."

The Privy Council were watching her, Victoria's manner making them spellbound by this young, vivacious Queen. She sat back down and watched as the Council waited for her next action. The aim was, of course, to gain their approval but once more, she was in the dark, tormented by Conroy's unhelpful smirk, unable to ascertain what he would do. Victoria made eye contact with Lord M, a silent cry for assistance and he made his way around the crowd to Victoria's side, bowing slightly so that he was not much taller than his fiancée.

She whispered, "Lord M, what should I do?"

He looked round briefly and murmured back, "We require their complete support, a vote would be easiest."

Victoria stepped down from the platform to stand in front of her Counsellors, Melbourne following her.

"I request that all members who approve of my intention to marry Viscount Melbourne move towards the windows, those who do not may stay where they are."

After quiet murmuring, Counsellors slowly migrated away from the main crowd to mingle by the windows. It was a slow process and Victoria looked towards Melbourne with concern until she noticed his hard glare directed at various members, some she recognised as Liberal Democrats, other Tories, some Labour and other crossbench Peers. The discussions picked up, the remaining still deciding whether they could accept the Queen marrying a mere Viscount, indeed one involved in politics.

Eventually everyone was stood by the windows apart from Conroy and his Conservative cabinet. Victoria recognised a few, bland-faced Tories who looked towards the Prime Minister for guidance, clearly toeing the party line.

"Sir John, you do not give your approval to such a marriage?"

Again, that annoying habit of opening and closing his mouth like a goldfish unable to breathe when dragged out of Conservative water. "Ma'am, it is not that I do not approve, it is just that I think that this is not a good decision." Victoria raised an eyebrow in question, his statement surely an oxymoron.

He tried again. "With all due respect, you are only twenty two. There are other options available. Perhaps, a regency? I believe the Duchess of Kent could take on such a demanding role."

Victoria looked behind her, Lord M wearing a similar expression to her's, barely concealed disgust. "Queen Alexandrina came to the throne at eighteen and at no point was she subject to a regency. I have no intention," she proclaimed, "of either abdicating or a regency. Now tell me, Prime Minister, do you and your cabinet give approval?"

There was a tense silence between Victoria and Conroy, both unaware of the Privy Council watching their Queen stand up to the Prime Minister, a woman barely out of university looking at the leader of the British government with fire in her eyes.

Conroy conceded and left his position in the middle of the room to stand by the windows, his cabinet trailing after him.

Melbourne spoke from her side, "it appears, ma'am, that we have their complete approval."

Victoria turned around, unable to drop the bright smile that appeared on her face. "And so it does."

 

* * *

 

Victoria's household was ready to leave the mansion within a month and it was a chilly day in early December that she and Melbourne were destined to be stuck in typical central London traffic. They could have requested the Mall and surrounding roads to be closed off with a heavy police presence but London was busy enough, let alone with a Royal move.

Victoria requested the move to be as efficient and quick as possible, putting Lehzen in charge though she could not control traffic. All that Victoria wanted brought with her to Buckingham Palace had been packed in various boxes and she ran down the corridors for one last time, her heeled boots echoing around the mansion where as a child, all she had were Dash and Lehzen. She had sent her belongings ahead in discreet vehicles and so had Melbourne's though his didn't take up as much space.

After finally saying goodbye to her childhood home, Victoria bundled herself in her thickest coat, a biting wind sweeping across London, and closed the front door for the last time. The press swarmed outside, their cameras flashing from behind the barriers and unnecessary questions disorienting her until a hand on her back guided towards the open door of the idling car and a gruff voice told the reporters exactly where to go - she immediately recognised him as Penge. She ducked to get into the car and smiled when she saw Lord M was already in there. Penge got into the front seat and drove them away from the still flashing lights and eventually the reporters stopped running alongside the car. Victoria could finally breath easily and undid her coat as her hands slowly warmed up.

"Apologies for the traffic, your Majesty, my Lord." Penge informed the both of them. Victoria was distracted by Lehzen texting her updates and Melbourne spoke for the two of them.

"That's perfectly fine, Mr...?"

"Penge, sir. Head Steward and driver to her Majesty and also to you as well soon."

Once again, they were idling, unable to move any further. Out of the corner of her eye, Victoria noticed Lord M looking at her, as if ready to say something. She dropped her phone into her open handbag and turned towards him.

"Is there perhaps something you wish to say?" He looked towards and huffed in quiet laughter.

"I still feel I should kiss your hand ma'am." Melbourne confessed to which Victoria responded with a cheeky grin, "well, get it over and done with." She raised her hand and Lord M held it before kissing the back of her hand, warmth seeping into Victoria's. Neither had anything to say to each other and so they looked out of their respective windows, London slowly crawling by. They were at a traffic light and through the tinted window, Victoria saw a newspaper stand and skimmed the headlines, one in particular making her laugh. Lord M made a noise of interest and tried to read the headline without his glasses, Victoria reading it out for him.

_Vicky engaged! Who is HRH Hubby?_

Melbourne laughed with her and Victoria swore she saw Penge smile just a little bit.

"Who wrote that one?" Lord M asked.

Victoria answered, "The Daily Mail," to which Lord M snorted at.

"A... fine newspaper. That's not the worst thing they've said about me." He told her, his last sentence tinged with regret.

Silence descended in the car, not even Penge making his usual blunt comments about the driving skills of other road users. Victoria turned to face Melbourne, headlines forgotten about. "Lord M. Yesterday I realised something. I know hardly anything about you. We are soon to be husband and wife but we are practically strangers."

He turned to face her, rubbing his hands before holding them together. "You didn’t look at my Wikipedia page?”

“My own Wikipedia page says I’m illegitimate and that there was a conspiracy to put me on the throne. I stopped reading Wikipedia after that.”

“Well, what is it you want to know about?"

"What's your name?"

"Why? Are you tiring of Lord M already, ma'am?" Victoria hit him playfully on his left shoulder.

"My name is William. William Peniston Lamb if you want my full name."

Victoria considered him for a few seconds. "Well, it is a pleasure to meet you, William Lamb," she paused for a second before shaking her head, "No, that shan't do, Lord M. I suppose if we are learning about each other, I ought to tell you mine in return. Victoria Alexandrina Windsor, Queen of this land and your future wife."

It soon developed into a game.

"How old are you, Lord M?"

"Unfortunately, thirty years old. And you are?"

"Twenty two."

"Where did you go for university?"

"Goldsmiths, art with a gap year. Mama never wanted me to take on any official positions but a young Royal is always welcomed abroad on state visits. Let me guess, you went to Oxford?"

"Very close, but I’m afraid I support the other team in the boat race. Cambridge, history and politics. Emily missed me greatly."

"Emily?"

"My sister. I'm the eldest of three, Frederick then Emily. She was only ten when I left for Cambridge and Frederick was barely a teenager by that point. They're more your age than mine to be frank."

The game continued and by this point, Penge was driving them through the gates to Buckingham Palace and Victoria couldn't help but open the door before the car had fully stopped, excited overwhelmed by such a building, not only her new home but their [B] new home. Lord M got out of the car and stood next to where Victoria was, in awe of her new home and its grand architecture.

"So many windows." She gasped breathlessly.

"This... it nearly bankrupted your great-great-great grand uncle George." Lord M informed her. Victoria couldn’t help but think such a Palace was worth almost becoming bankrupt for. So many windows glistening in the low sun's light! Vaguely, she could hear a crowd gathering at the gates but she was still in awe.

"How light it will be after my last home." Melbourne turned to face her and she looked at him, concern etched into his features.

"Did you find it very dark there?" Victoria knew that they were talking in metaphors and accordingly responded with one.

"It was hard to see clearly."

Lehzen was waiting for them at the door and ushered them in away from the crowd that had built up. All around her, staff were setting up the palace to be lived in, curtains, candles and paintings migrating from home to home. And yet the corridors were even longer here! Lord M had followed Victoria down the corridor, gloves in hand and when she turned around to catch his thoughts, all she saw was that approving smile and she ran down the corridor, confident that Lord M would be behind her once more.

Her hair had fallen out of its various clips and she stood in front of an intricately-framed mirror to tidy her hair, Lord M finding his way to stand to her side.

She looked above her at the detailed ceilings, the plush carpets and squealed in a rather undignified manner when she saw Dash trotting towards her. She picked up her beloved dog and looked round once more before focusing on Lord M.

"Oh, I think this will do quite well."

 

* * *

 

The rest of winter that year was bitterly cold and Victoria found herself yearning for the warmth of home, a concept she initially associated with Dash but now grew to include Lord M, who brought a sense of homeliness wherever he was. Whilst home used to be a stiflingly quiet place for Victoria, the pressure of Mama's remarks and the knowledge that one day she would be Queen of a country she barely was part of weighing her down further, Lord M now made her want to be home, where she belonged and thrived.

After spending a long day with the insufferable Conroy and his various boxes full of documents wanting for Royal Assent, Victoria looked forward to sitting in her study and was ready to sink into her favourite chair, brought from Mama's mansion. She just simply wanted to rest. Throughout the palace, candles were lit and she appreciated the soft shadows thrown by them. Dash was waiting for her in her rooms and followed her as she opened the door to the study, logs crackling in the fireplace. Perhaps not something expected of a Queen but she flopped into her chair and put her feet up on her desk before sighing heavily and rubbing at her eyes. Conroy was useless, as per usual and Victoria once again wondered how he led her government.

Upon opening her eyes, she noticed _even more_  boxes on her desk and groaned as she remembered that even though the Queen may be home, work would still follow her. She brought her feet down from the desk and Dash curled up under the desk as Victoria opened the boxes where she was immediately overwhelmed by papers practically spilling out. Within all the small text and jargon, she figured out it was something to do with the European Union but she did not know much about it - after all, she never studied politics in any great depth.

Soon she was frantically trying to make sense of the documents and after reading the same bullet point five times over, she pushed the papers away and leaned back into her chair and was tempted to say "sod it" until her phone lit up with a notification.

**_Lord M  
Conroy still keeping you occupied?_ **

Victoria picked up her phone, grateful for the distraction.

**_HRH  
He finally released me 30 mins ago. In my study trying to understand something about the EU :(_ **

She didn't receive a response and attempted once more to read whatever nonsense she was given before there was a knock at the door and before she could ask, Melbourne was standing in her study.

"Perhaps I could help?"

Victoria thanked him and he sat in the chair opposite her desk, skimming the documents whilst Victoria tried to make sense of others. It was a comfortable silence until he spoke up. "Do you want to hear the good news or the not so good news first?” Victoria shrugged in indifference. “Good news: this isn't something requiring Royal assent," Lord M explained, "but the bad news: it will be useful to read through this. It's simply a clarification of Britain's relationship with the EU. Even if this becomes an Act, it won't be for a number of years."

"Of course, because we all know that Parliament cannot pass Acts within a given time period," she retorted. Lord M ducked his head and laughed quietly.

They continued to make their way through the box, Victoria asking for clarification and Melbourne summarising necessary points of confusion so that Victoria could understand each.

"Lord M, I'm very grateful for your help," she told him as they reached the bottom of the box.

“You did very well for someone who is not well versed in politics at degree level, ma’am.”

Victoria shrugged. “Still.”

"Well," he started, "I wouldn't expect an art graduate to understand politics nor, I hope, you wouldn't expect me to be able to paint a self portrait." He replied carefully.

Victoria put her pen down as Melbourne placed the box on a side table. "I don't believe though that this is the role of the Queen's fiancé. To help me understand." He sat opposite her, crossing his legs and Victoria noticed he looked calmer whenever it was only the two of them.

"Ma'am, I am a Viscount who sat as a Peer and is now engaged to the Queen of the United Kingdom. I believe adding "private secretary" to that list shan't rock the boat too much."

Dash was whimpering and Victoria picked him up to sit in her lap, scratching around his ears. "Would you do that for me? Be my private secretary?" She asked, hopeful notes rising in her voice.

"Of course, ma'am." Melbourne said solidly. Dash was trying to get onto the desk and Victoria tried to keep him off the official documents until she noticed Lord M's opened hands.

"May I?" He asked and she stood up to place her first friend in Lord M's arms and she was surprised to see that Dash neither barked nor scratched him, instead lolling his tongue out as Melbourne scratched Dash's belly.

"This truly must be a good match if even Dash approves of you."

He didn't respond but instead smiled at Victoria and again, she felt that warm sensation of homeliness and sat back in her chair as Lord M kept Dash entertained, unaware that as he won Dash's approval, he won more of his owner's.

 

* * *

 

As expected, Melbourne renounced his seat in the House of Lords, the title for now his to keep. Without his beloved Parliament to keep him occupied, Lord M often found himself wandering around the palace, a stark contrast to Brocket Hall, and most days, he entertained himself in the vast library, where between his and Victoria's book collection one could know everything about anything. His books hadn't yet fully been merged into the library and so he skirted along the edge of the library, head tilted to read the titles until Melbourne came across a nature book, clearly unread with a stiff spine and a cover of dust that spoke of years on a bookshelf.

The fire was roaring, winter still holding the country in an icy palm and without the worries of being called to the House for a last minute vote or select committees that required planning, Melbourne lost time to a book and a slowly warming up room, the crackling fire blocking out the noises of the London crowds, a small haven in the bustling city.

He read slowly, just reaching the halfway point when the library door opened suddenly and he jumped slightly, relaxing when he saw that it was only Victoria who threw herself onto the sofa opposite him, slightly heavily.

"Long day at work?"

Victoria responded by hugging a plush cushion to her chest and peering over it. "Meine Mutter-" she stopped herself and slammed the cushion back into the sofa in frustration at slipping back into the wrong language.

"My mother insists on bringing up Conroy every single time we talk. She thinks he's everything good about this world, just because he helped her after Papa died and then when I call her out, she refuses to speak English! I've told her again and again, no more German but she wouldn't listen to me and refuses to answer unless I use her language." Victoria tossed her head back onto the arm of the sofa and Melbourne found an errant piece of paper to act as a bookmark.

"You can speak German?"

"Lord M, I come from a long line of German royalty. Mama herself is German, as is Lehzen. I was practically born speaking German. I don't know why I'm the British Queen, I might as well be Queen of Germany!"

"Ah but then you would lose all the perks of being Queen here. Do you not enjoy owning all the swans in this country?"

Victoria couldn't help but smile, Lord M chatting with her as if she was simply an woman and not as a Queen. "The swans are nice. But sometimes I wish I didn't have land. I have cousins in Germany and they claim to belong to the Saxe-Coburg-Gotha throne. All they do is attend dinners and get followed by paparazzi."

Melbourne thought of the heirs in Schloss Rosenau, Prince Ernest more readily found on the front pages of gossip magazines for his latest shenanigans, his brother Albert often found in the background of such photos with a hard done by expression hidden beneath an old fashioned moustache. Melbourne was dragged out of his thoughts by Victoria's pointed looking at the hardback in his hands.

"And it seems the Queen's fiancé doesn't have much to do either."

Melbourne ducked his head. "You've caught me red-handed ma'am. My place is here, not Westminster anymore." Here wasn't quite home. He missed Brocket Hall, the smell of it so distinctively _home_  and he would never tell Victoria but there was something more impersonal about Buckingham Palace, the ever-disapproving gaze of past monarchs in portraits following him, the footmen found at the end of each corridor, the Duchess a constant weight on everyone's mind even though she remained in her mansion.

He was informed, however, that this was far better than Victoria's childhood home, as Emma told him about the new Queen, a twenty two year old art student faced with an arranged marriage or abdication, the day of the King's death.

 

* * *

 

When he found out about the young queen and her situation, it was early evening, the nobles debating whether it was too late for coffee or too early for wine - in the end, wine became the victor.

"You know, William," Emma started before sipping at the Riesling in her hand, the Viscount Portman giving a speech at one of the various dinners they were persistently invited to. "I feel sorry for her. Poor thing's just graduated, not even five foot and yet she's Queen. Edward tells me of this Act, says she must marry."

"So young, and so much responsibility. And he's right, Emma. She must either marry within three months or abdicate."

"What a terrible price for an accident of birth!"

Melbourne didn't respond, instead intent on draining his glass until Emma's raised eyebrows stopped him and he left the glass with some of the sweet liquid before placing it on the side table nearest to him, Emma continuing to talk.

"From what her Highness says, it seems her daughter won't abdicate. I mean, have you seen the girl? Once she puts her mind to something, she'll never let it go. Abdication will never be an option so she'll have to marry." Melbourne hummed in the right places, wanting for more wine and tuning out his oldest friend until Emma said something he couldn't quite believe.

"What?!" He spluttered, eyes wide.

"All I said, William," Emma repeated, used to his daydreaming, "was that the Queen will have to marry. She can't marry within her family and all the Europeans have no land. She could marry you instead."

Melbourne continues to splutter, his usually quick mind having left him and his mouth hung open for a few seconds before he covered his eyes and rubbed at his face.

"Emma. Sometimes I really do question our friendship. Why in God's name would I marry the Queen? And more to the point, why would she marry me? I'm a thirty year old widower, I've outlived both my son and my wife, it sounds perfectly reasonable that I'm a catch! That is out of the question."

"No, no, William, there's a method to my madness."

He looked at her with an expression demanding an explanation.

"When I first met you, you were straight out of Cambridge, an idealistic young man ready to take on the world. I know now you don't believe in much bar the constitution. Even if it's outdated and wrong, it can't be ignored. Think about it. Marry her, use your connections to get the Act repealed. Edward could introduce it as a Green Paper, get it passed between the Commons and the Lords. You would most certainly have to leave the Lords but you will still have influence if I'm not mistaken. You have a duty to your country and its mess of a constitution. And the William I know would never give up on duty."

He didn't know how to respond and instead said, "I haven't even met her!"

"Leave that with me," Emma told him as she drained her glass and stood up, William getting up from his chair as well, "I imagine her Highness will be requesting my presence rather early tomorrow morning, I'd prefer to be well rested."

Melbourne escorted her out of the room and rather than his butler helping Emma into her coat, he took over and made sure she was wrapped up well enough against the frigid winds that had swept through London. She was only shorter than William by an inch or two but still he leaned down so that his closest friend could kiss him on the cheek. He watched her as she walked down the steps to the car waiting for her outside and closed the door behind him, keeping the warmth in his home. Melbourne started to walk back to the library before pausing slightly to talk to his butler.

"Brandy in the library and I'm not at home. To anyone."

This was going to take some thinking.

Emma was driven back to her London residence and as she stepped out of the car, she felt a vibration in her clutch and took a brief moment to look at her phone, smiling knowingly at what she read before being ushered through the door.

**_William  
I'll do it if she wants to._ **

 

* * *

 

Amicable silence descended upon the library and the two of them returned to their own activities, Melbourne reading the book and Victoria on her phone. Between the flickering warmth of the fireplace and Victoria's silence, he could have almost drifted into sleep if it wasn't for Victoria slamming her phone onto a side table and crossing her arms, sighing as she did so.

"What's the point of having a bloody phone if I can't even use it!"

Melbourne raised an eyebrow at her language but returned to his book, not wanting to add fuel to Victoria's fire.

"Can't use Twitter, can't use Instagram, what can I use? I wasn't aware the Queen was restricted to Crossy Road. Everything I say or post has to be checked, God forbid I want to think without official approval."

Her fiancé hummed and closed the book in his lap. "Ma'am, I won't confess to knowing what it must be like as the Queen. But I want you to know that you can speak your mind with me. I don't want us to be strangers, I want us to be friends, for you to speak your mind."

Victoria tilted her head and subjected Melbourne to one of her regal looks, the one that declared a omnipresent crown upon her head. "You are a strange one, Lord M. No one has ever said that to me."

It was an intense look and he dropped his eyes, smoothing the hardback cover with his fingers. "You are the Queen, every inch one in fact, but you are also a person, with thoughts and opinions and feelings." Victoria didn't respond and Melbourne thought he had overstepped the line, tried to be a friend when she didn't need one. He raised his eyes from the floor to the woman sat on the opposite sofa and instead, she smiled widely, an emphatic "thank you" in her dimples.

"Could you read to me?" She asked. Melbourne opened the book on its first page even though he had read half of it beforehand. Before he opened his mouth, Victoria wrapped a blanket around herself and rested her chin on her hand.

 _This_ , Melbourne thought, _is home._

 

* * *

 

One morning, not long after their impromptu reading session, Victoria woke up far earlier than she would've liked to. Throughout her childhood, Mama took inspiration from Alexandrina's Kensington System and enforced a rule that Victoria was to wake by seven, no matter the occasion. It was a difficult habit to shirk and she accepted her body's internal alarm clock but that day, it surprised her and woke her a few minutes after five. Dash still slept and she laid there, listening to London yawn loudly and wake up blearily for another Thursday until it became the heaving city it was famed for once more.

Victoria was usually a heavy sleeper and would normally drift back asleep but her mind was too alert and she pushed her duvet back carefully as to not wake up her loyal four-legged companion. The shifting mattress woke the attentive canine and Dash opened his eyes slowly until Victoria's cooing encouraged him to jump off the bed and follow her as she opened her bedroom door.

The Palace was as quiet as it could ever be, the few servants' conversations too unintelligible to understand and Victoria deliberated. She could've woken Lehzen but she never slept enough and with her new role, the Head of Household needed as much rest as she could. She knew Lehzen didn’t get as much sleep as it is.

Mama had been relegated to the north wing whenever she visited overnight, out of sight, out of mind as the saying goes. Lord M, however, was given suites in Victoria's wing but his were along the corridor from Victoria's and although betrothed, she didn't want to encroach upon his private space.

Instead she decided upon another destination, Dash trotting at her heels as she admired the architecture, the high ceiling, the ornate decorations of her new home. She held onto a blurry memory from her childhood, herself as a six year old on a rare visit to her dear Uncle King, his decadent palace forging a stark contrast to the sharp lines of Mama's mansion. She remembered being mesmerised by such a place, so many colours and revelries and yet it was now her home. Victoria would never confess to it but she still found herself lost occasionally, now being such an occasion. After retracing her steps down various corridors and numerous corners, she finally found herself where she wanted to be, the main ballroom. Lord M had told her that it had surpassed the Throne Room in importance but that in itself was unimportant, inferior to the reason why she was there. In the centre of the ballroom, her beloved piano sat patiently, ready for Victoria to sit down and she briefly played a set of scales, the piano perfectly tuned as she requested. There were few things she adamantly insisted upon in life but one of them was wherever the Queen went, the grand piano followed her. She continued her scales, more so to warm up her hands than any great practice and she found her hands drifting into "Lied ohne Worter", Mendelssohn's magnum opus for Queen Alexandrina.

Victoria lost herself to the crescendos, the lilting rhythms of the notes flowing out of the room and after repeats and reprises, she lifted her hands off the keys, the final notes slowly dying without her touch into silence which lingered until interrupted by a small applause.

The Queen looked quickly to the direction of the clapping, her hair whirling around with her, and she found Melbourne standing in the doorway, in more disarray than Victoria had ever seen her future husband. He looked bleary-eyed, as if startled awake and his hair was curlier and more voluminous than it was in the day - Victoria had spent an hour once perusing for photos of her fiancé, older candids revealing the true nature of his hair, now oft tamed. He was dressed modestly, a thick dressing gown covering his frame but Victoria felt she was a voyeur, such a vision not made for her, despite their engagement.

Lord M leant against the door. "I was woken up rather suddenly by a beautiful melody. Following music is a rather strange version of following breadcrumbs." Victoria smiled, herself in no greater state than Melbourne.

"Do you play?" She asked, her head tilted to the piano. He pushed himself off the doorframe and sat to her left, Victoria taking note of his general disarray.

"It has been a long time, ma'am. But I do think I can remember something from Eton."

Using a single index finger, Melbourne played a simple melody that Victoria easily recognised and laughed heartily at him, joining him as she played the higher section of "God Save the Queen", neither of them able to wipe the infectious grins off their faces.

 

* * *

 

Christmas passed quietly and Victoria found herself and Melbourne quickly thrust into the public eye. Various publicists had told them that they needed to keep approval rates high and a young Queen and her fiancé would be just what the doctor ordered.

Victoria, however, was concerned. Although she shared an easy comradery with Lord Melbourne, that was simply it and despite spending a good half of each day with each other, Lord M acting as her private secretary, and becoming close friends, Victoria worried that the public would see that their upcoming marriage was one of convenience. Melbourne was ever the well brought up gentleman, keeping a respectful distance from Victoria and rarely sharing skin contact, leaving both Victoria and the press with a brush of hands if she was lucky.

She knew that Melbourne kept himself out of the public's attention as far as he could, Lehzen reporting back to her about her betrothed and how his signature unflappable disposition extended to his friendships, barely found affectionate bar Emma Portman.

However the publicists were right and after every news source reported the future nuptials, the Queen and the Lord were advised to have a public outing - official photos were easier to control than candids.

Therefore in mid-January, Britain slowly thawing out in a piecemeal manner, Victoria found herself with Lord M walking around Bedgebury Forest, a swarm of paparazzi following them at a close but reasonable distance, with Lehzen keeping a watchful eye on the press. Mama never let her interact with the court and so she was uncomfortable with the persistent camera clicks and various questions being thrown and yet Lord M appeared to be unfazed, Victoria wondering whether he grew up surrounded by the press.

As they walked along one of the paths, Victoria found there were far more logs lying about than there were at the start of the trail and already after being hounded into wearing heeled shoes, she considered how to continue walking without making a fool of herself in front of incalculable journalists. Melbourne climbed over the log, his height an advantage and held his hand open over the decaying nature for Victoria to take, the Queen gratefully gripping his hand as she managed to stay balanced, a brief hand lingering on her shoulder for less than a second.

They were close to the middle of the forest, ancient trees flanking Victoria and Melbourne as they continued to walk side by side, close enough to not raise any suspicion.

Suddenly the Viscount stopped in his stride and Victoria stopped too, watching a genuine smile form on Melbourne's face as he pointed towards the uppermost branches of a tree.

"Ma'am, look. Rooks, up at the top.” Victoria followed his gaze and outstretched arm upwards. “They're sociable animals. A gathering like this, it’s called a parliament." He dropped his arm and looked back at Victoria before leaning in, their conversation unintelligible to the media.

"Altogether more civilised than their human equivalent," he remarked with dry humour, Victoria snickering behind her hand, attempting to keep a facade of elegance in front of the tabloids. Condensed breath curled out of her open mouth and she blew on her hands, rubbing them to savour some heat. It was evident that when it came to the Queen, aesthetic had trumped comfort, thin silk gloves doing nothing goosebumps.

Melbourne noticed this and went to remove his leather gloves, handing them to Victoria, who upon inspection, openly protested but relished the oversized gloves and Lord M's warmth.

"Better?" He asked pointedly. Victoria resisted a childish urge to stick her tongue out at him and continued to walk after scoffing briefly.

Theirs was a short circuit through the forest and soon Victoria and Melbourne reached the lake outside of the forest where even more journalists had gathered. Questions were yelled from all directions and they smashed together into an inaudible soundtrack until one arched over the crowd.

"Give us a kiss, your Majesty!"

Victoria froze, distantly hearing Lehzen rebuke the reporter in fast accented English, "how dare you speak to her Majesty like that!"

Melbourne noticed her stupor and moved to stand in front of her, his presence barely processed during Victoria's frantic thought process: oh my God we never discussed this what is he going to do surely he can't kiss me out here-

"May I?" He asked quietly, just loud enough for Victoria to hear him and she nodded unthinkingly, unable to verbalise her hesitations in front of a crowd.

With one heavy hand resting on her waist and her eyes closed, Melbourne dipped his to kiss Victoria on a rapidly blushing cheek and moved away, journalists groaning, robbed of a perfect opportunity for some decent photos of the Queen and her fiancé.

Victoria's eyes fluttered open and with a silent exchange through eye contact, they continue to walk along the lake, Melbourne's hand resting on the small of Victoria's back whenever ice presented itself on the path and a quiet warning to take care from the Viscount.

Lehzen caught up with Victoria and asked about the red blotches on her cheeks, fearing the Queen had been frost bitten.

"It's nothing!" She protested, willing the blood to disappear from her cheeks and by doing so, flushed more crimson as she became exceedingly aware of the warm and comforting hand on her back that made her feel so safe.

 

* * *

 

The winds at the open lake however did not bode well for Victoria's disposition and after a stubborn set of sneezes seized her small frame during the drive back to Buckingham Palace, Melbourne protested that rest and warmth was needed for her Majesty.

With that same hand on the small of Victoria's back and Lehzen shooting off rapid fire orders to servants interspersed with concerned comments about her "dear Toria", Victoria was bundled into her parlour, Brodie stoking the fire and Skerrett arriving with thick blankets. Between sniffles, Melbourne stood before her, assessing her state and put his hand out, palm facing Victoria, with a "wait here" before leaving the room, his voice gradually echoing through the door before disappearing completely.

She huffed before sneezing, scaring Dash who barked and jumped up into her lap, tongue lolling out as she scratched behind his ears. The fireplace was roaring and Victoria unsuccessfully suppressed a yawn, her eyes slipping closed every so often until she conceded to herself that perhaps Melbourne's instruction to rest would do her well.

Victoria was woken up by Melbourne's entrance through the door, Skerrett running behind him, a blush from exertion hidden under her brown skin.

"My Lord, there is no need for you to undertake such responsibilities!" She protested as Melbourne walked closer to Victoria, a steaming bowl carefully balanced in his slender hands.

"Nonsense, Miss Skerrett. As her Majesty's future husband, I must honour and cherish her."

The queen watched her fiancé and assistant with bemusement and looked down at her watch to see that she had been asleep for little more than half an hour.

"Skerrett I forgot to ask, how was Diwali? I trust you and your family had fun with the celebration?"

"Yes, ma'am, it was quite a long celebration but I enjoyed it very much."

After Skerrett curtsied at the swaddled queen, Victoria requested for her art supplies and Melbourne sat down next to her when Skerrett left the room.

"What's that?" Victoria asked.

Melbourne placed the bowl in her lap and held a spoon out for her to hold. "Rice pudding. Ghastly stuff but my mother always made me eat a bowl of it when I was ill as a boy. To this day, I still don't know if it actually helps but it's an old Lamb recipe, handed down from the Alexandrinian era."

Unconvinced and skeptical, Victoria took the spoon and mixed the thick concoction, spooning a heap into her mouth and pleasantly surprised at the warm spices bursting on her tongue. "This is really good," she said around a second mouthful. "Doesn't taste like normal rice pudding though."

Melbourne shook his head, "condensed milk, cardamom and honey. Mum would be knocking at our door if I didn't follow her exact recipe."

Victoria flicked her eyes up from the spoon, unaware of what to proceed with talk of relatives but was saved by Skerrett with art supplies in hand. Paints and brushes carefully piled on the side table, Victoria finished the pudding, scraping the bowl to Melbourne's disapproval.

"What? It's good!"

"I believe it to be an acquired taste. A very acquired taste, actually."

Once the bowl was empty, Victoria sat up straight and Dash jumped down from the settee to lie in front of the fireplace, apparently taking his owner's advice and napping.

Painting was always something she loved, though perhaps not as encouraged as she was with the piano by Mama and as a child, when she was sick with fevers and chills, she could not make notes float around Mama's mansion but she could recreate landscapes and people on canvas. It had been a while since Victoria had last painted and her muse seemingly took a holiday. Prepared to sketch Dash by the fireplace once more, she looked up to see Melbourne closely following the most minute of her movements and was suddenly struck with inspiration.

"Lord M, could you sit by the window?"

As Queen, he couldn't resist her; as her fiancé, he had no desire to do so. The afternoon sun illuminating his details, he sat and looked out of the window like a Regency era nobleman so that Victoria could see his side profile.

Before painting him, she attempted to lightly sketch his profile but as her eyes trailed down his face, she found herself drawn to the slightest of details on Lord M's face: the gentle curl of hair that barely skimmed his forehead, long lashes framing olive hued eyes, strong cheekbones highlighted by the afternoon sun shifting into the soft oranges and mauves of dusk.

Victoria hasn't noticed how long she had stared at him until Melbourne caught her eye. "Is there something on her face, ma'am?"

She looked down quickly, cheeks flushing. "No, no, nothing... nothing whatsoever." Words had escaped her at such an inopportune time before she forced herself to look at him again. "I was simply appreciating your profile, artistically. You possess a strong jawline, something I lack. The Hanoverian line is not noted for its strong chin."

Melbourne chucked under his breath. "I'm glad I can be of some service," he commented, eyes briefly falling on Victoria before looking out of the window again.

He was the perfect model, barely moving and within the hour, the last of the watercolours were drying - Victoria gave her assent and he moved, sitting next to her.

"May I?"

She passed the heavy paper to him, oddly nervous for his reaction and hoping she had truly captured his very essence. She only noticed she had held her breath when his response felt like permission to breath again.

"Ma'am, this is beautiful. Perhaps the most beautiful painting I've had the privilege to view. May I keep this?"

Victoria nodded, barely processing his words, overcome by emotions running high.

"You're talented, ma'am. I shall cherish this in life and on my deathbed."

Few people in Victoria's life cared enough to give her something more than criticism on her paintings - Lehzen throughout her life, her dear Uncle King when she once showed him a painting of his Majesty when she was six and Lady Portman when her presence wasn't required by the Duchess.

"Thank you," she murmured under her breath, Melbourne responding by way of humming.

The fireplace crackled, Dash snoring sleepily and the betrothed couple looked at each other without talking before both smiling, the wedding dress designs somewhere on Victoria's desk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just some things I learnt whilst researching this chapter:  
> \- Lord M actually hated rice pudding irl. There's a lot of odd facts about him in the Victoria companion book (my copy has so many tabs in it for various parts useful to this universe)  
> \- the Hanoverians had a weak jawline
> 
> In this ‘verse, you can choose which way the EU referendum went. I know how I wanted it to go and whilst we’re at it, just forget the 2017 general election ever happened for this ‘verse
> 
> Skerrett is mixed Sikh Punjabi, presumably with white British. Not everyone is completely white in the 21th century, as is the author
> 
> Next chapter will be the wedding itself and we get to meet Melbourne’s siblings as well as Victoria’s and the Coburg cousins will be there as well!
> 
> I’m on [Tumblr!](lostlibraryofalex.tumblr.com) (I’m thinking about making a side blog for snippets and deleted scenes, comment if that’s something you’d enjoy)

**Author's Note:**

> I'm on [Tumblr!](lostlibraryofalex.tumblr.com)


End file.
